Refractory and method of making the same



Patented Aug. 11, 1931;

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE DONALD ROSS AND JAMES M. LAMLBIE, OF WASHINGTON, PENN SYLVANTA.

REFRACTORY AND METHOD OF MAKING- THE SAME No Drawing. Substitute for application Serial No. 292,022, filed July 11, 1928. This application filed January 3, 1929. Serial No. 330,138.

Our invention relates to the manufacture of refractories, and more particularly to refractories such as are suitable for use as walls against molten slag and commercial glasses.

.4 This application constitutes in part a division'of our copending case, Serial No. 238,--

226, filed December 6, 1927, and is a substitute for our application Serial No. 292,022, filed July 11, 1928, and contemplates silica- 1 alumina refractories consisting largely of refractory glass of approximately the silica alumina eutectic composition, the glass varying substantially from 80% SiO to 20% alumina, to 95% silica to 5% alumina.

Silica-alumina containing refractories as heretofore manufactured consist chiefly of materials that are more or less noncrystalline, or which are partly crystalline, and which have not been heated sufficiently in their manufacture to convert any considerable percentage thereof into glass. Certain other refractories have been made by melting, the materials being of such composition, and having been so annealed, that in the finished ware they are largely crystalline and contain a minimum amount of glassy matrix, which matrix is not necessarily viscous. Molten or ingot-cast refractories, high in alumina, and containing a maximum amount i of crystalline material, such as mullite and corundum, have been manufactured, but apparently no silica-alumina refractories have been manufactured with any intent that they shall consist largely of glass, and' particu- P5 larly of a highly silicious glass.

Highly silicious clays, such as Gross Almerode, which contains 72% silica, have been used in the manufacture of glass pots and other walls for use against molten glass, 40 but, even in the ca ,e of such (highly silicious) clay refractories, a large majority of the free silica has been present in the finishedware in a crystalline form, such as quartz and .cristobalite. Except that in long service, at glass-melting temperatures, a small fraction of a glass melting pot is converted to such refractory glass, albeit of rather poor quality, and in turn a small fraction of such pots has eventually been ground up and used in the manufacturing of other glass melting It is commonl pots. In the case of Gross Almerode clay, the glass formed has been of rather poor quality due to the large amount of fluxes which it contains; Also, due to these fluxes, the percent glass has been larger with a given heat treatment than would obtain with the same heat treatment in clays containing less flux. However, the proportion of such glassy material present in such new pots has always been so small that its effect has been negligible so far as our present invention is concerned.

Thus although it is old to burn fire clay products which contain up to seventy-two percent or even more total silica and although in isolated cases small portions of such products have been burned to the'stage where they are largely glass, there has never been regular commercial production of such glassy material, nor has there been recognition of this material as such, and, so far as we know, the small quantities produced have never been knowingly used because of their low thermal expansion and of their resistance to glass attack, as hereinafter described. Hence by giving our compositions greater heat treatments than those to which similar compositions have heretofore been commonly subjected, we produce a product which is new to the art.

Upon melting or partially melting certain of the refractory oxides, or mixtures of them, such as silica and alumina, and then cooling, a certain portion of the material fails to crystallize out, and remains as a fairly homogeneous isotropic substance known as glass. The term refractory glass as used in this specification refers to the glass present in fired silica-alumina (fire clay) refractories, and does not refer to commercial glasses such as those containing considerable percentages of alkalis, magnesia, lime, boric acid, orjlead'."

Our refractory glass appears isotropic under the petrographic microscope, and is produced only by a heat treatment of an entirely diflerent order.

known that in silicaalumina compositlons, the refractory glass formed on heating is of substantially the eutectic composition (approximately 95% 7 point.

worked out in part by Bowen and silica to 5% alumina) except that the impurities which it may contain cause it to dissolve a greater percentage of alumina than would be dissolved if they were not present. Of course, as such a composition approaches its fusion point, the glass present dissolves progressively greater percentages of alumina. At the composition, 95% silica to 5% alumina, the glass, as shown by the binar system reig, has the composition of the eutectic (95% silica and 5% alumina). With progressively more alumina present the glass still remains highly silicious, until an alumina content of 72% is reached, except that as stated above, there is progressively more alumina present in the glass as the liquidous curve is approached.

Although Bowen and Greig (the system Al O SiO Journal American Ceramic Society, vol. 7, No. 4, April, 1924, page 238) have shown in their equllibrium diagram of the binary system silica-alumina, that cristobalite may eventually be expected to crystallize out of such a glass, we have discovered that in silica-alumina refractories (in which the amount of fluxes is relatively small) an exceedingly longheating period at suitable temperatures is required to cause any crystallization of cristobalite, and that such refractories, between the composition 72% alumina to 28% silica and 95% silica and 5% alumina can normally be heated to the point where the mass is entirely mullite and glass without appreciable amounts of cristobalite developing in said mass.

We have discovered that such silicaalumina glass has the additional advantage from the standpointof spalling that it does not have inversions and that its volume change throughout the range of temperature to which the refractories made of it maybe subjected is so small that they do not spall even though subjected to extremes of temperature. The thermal expansion of such glass is only slightly larger than that of quartz glass. Thus we have produced a product which has the valuable properties of fused quartz glass but is not subject to rapid devitrification in use at elevated temperatures as quartz glass is.- Further, such highly silicious glass has the advantage that it is stable to its melting It is commonly known that the true (powder) specific gravity of mullite is 3.00, of quartz is 2.65, of tridymite is 2.29 and of vitreous silica is 2.22. Hence in fired silicaalumina bodies the higher the percentage of vitreous silica and tridymite as opposed to mullite and quartz, the lower is the true specific gravity of the material. A ain if we define the over-all, or bulk, speci c gravity as the figure obtained by dividing the weight of a test piece in grams, by the over all volume in cubic centimeters, this bulk specific gravity is then a function of the true specific gravity and the porosity of the material, and if the porosity and bulk specific gravity are iven the true specific gravity is likewise fixeg.

In the case of our highly silicious alumina containing material, we prefer that the true specific gravity of the fired material be not over 2.50, and that in most cases the porosity shall not be greater than 24 per cent. The bulk specific gravity in material; having a true specific gravity of 2.50 and a porosity .of 24% is approximately 2.00.

One object of our invention is to provide a refractory that is composed largely of glass of a particular character.

Another object of our invention is to provide arefractory composed largely of a highly silicious glass.

Another object is to provide a refractory material composed largely of a highly silicious glass of relatively high viscosity.

Another object is to composed largely of a s lea-alumina glass of substantially the silica alumina eutectic composition.

Another object of our invention is to provide a refractory material that is composed largely of a highly silicious glass, of such character that Iiot only is there but a small qantity of cristobalite formed, but wherein there is little tendency for cristobalite to crystallize out.

Another object is to provide an improved tank block embodying one or more of the above features.

A further object is to provide highly silicious glasses having a small alumina content and which are resistant to thermal shock.

Still another object is to provide refractories of improved structure and wearing qualities.

Hard-burned tank blocks and other hard burned clay refractories have heretofore been made that contain between 15% and 25% of material that can be identified under the petrographic microscope as being isotropic glass. On the other hand, we find that such high silica alumina bearing glass is not very effective until it constitutes ap-.

proximately 40% of fired ware made in accordance with our invention and that the desirable properties of such ware are enhanced in proportion as the glass content is increased above this figure. Hence by the term largely glass, we mean that the body does not contain substantially less than 40% isotropic glass, by volume, consistin largely of silica, together with a much sma ler percentage of alumina and in which the other constituents including materials that flux the silica and alumina, constitute not over 6% of the total. In the completed pieces of ware of this type, it is satisfactory for refractory purposes that there be remnants of crystalline silica particles present in the finished ware. The presence of 5% to 7% which has been heated, but in which pracas tridymite instead of glass.

of crystalline silica does not greatly impair the resistance of the ware to thermal shock,

Thermal ewpension 0 to 1,000 0'.

y Per cent Material Inches per ft. linear expansion .Quartz (I. O. T. vol. IV, p. 21) 1.45 Oristobalite (I. C. T. vol. IV, p. 21) Approx 1. 7 Tridymite (I. C. T. Vol. IV, 1). 21) L 1.1 Vitreous silica (I. O. T. vol. V, p. 21) 0. 054 Corundum (I. O. T. vol. II, p. 87)- 0.676 Mul1ite 0.35 Clay fire brick %e"%z OAS-1.0 Silica brick Me plus or mlnus %4" 1.19-1.42 Silicpfl-glumina euteictic glass. 0. 085

0 eutectic g ass mullite l 231 Potash and soda have-large thermal expansions and magnesia has a low thermal expansion, when these materials are used in such refractories. Further in connection with the resistance of our material to thermal shock, vitreous silicais relatively much more elastic than are silica-alumina glasses which are high in alumina.

Petrographic microscopic examination of free silica in a silica-alumina refractory mix tically none of the free silica has been dissolved, shows the silica particles as-having sharp corners. While 1n mlxes which have been further matured by heat the silica particles are decidedly rounded by solution, and

immediately surrounding them are envelopes of highly silicious glass, commonly termed solution rims. We find that in cases Where our composition is relatively low in fluxes, the solution rims on the silica particles are apt to retain substantially their original angular form, and on account of the small of grains of various sizes.

mixes we find that the finer particles of silica may be entirely dissolved'at the stage at which amount of flux, which'passes into said rims,

part of their contents are apt to be present These solution rims serve to bind the free silica particles to the other ingredients, thus making the ware containing them tougher and more resistant to thermal shock. Crushed or fine ground silica ordinarily consists Hence, in our remnants of the coarser particles are still present, each with its solution rim.

' Since crystalline silica has large thermal expansion while our highly silicious glass has low thermal expansion, the solution rims possibly owe their efi"ect,in crystalline silica containing bodies of this character, to the fact that the solution rims are largely silicious glass and are formed at high temperatures, at a time when the undissolved remnants are expanded to their maximum size. On subse-' quent repeated cooling and heating the crystalline remnants which from their nature have large thermal expansion, may thus contract and expand within the solution rims without rupturing them. Since in some cases a given amount of residual free silica does not unduly deteriorate the ware, in these cases solution rims may be present around undissolved remnants of free silica in either highly silicious glass that is added to the raw batch as such, or which may be developed from other free silica of the batch during heat treatment.

We have discovered that normally during wearing-away of the silica-alumina refractories by slags and commercial glasses, an intervening layer of glass develops between the refractory and said slag or commercial glasses, i. e., on the surface ,of the refractory. Other things being equal, the rate of solution of the refractory body depends upon the nature of this intervening refractory glass.

We have also found that the greater the viscosity of this refractory glass the slower the rate of solution by the above-mentioned slags and commercial glasses.

Geologically, silica and alumina whether chemically combined or not are usually found associated in nature, that is they react similarly towards other elements. This is particularly truein the case of the alkali and alkaline earth metals. Hence, we may expect to find them practically equally reactive to substances such as the soda and lime fluxes of molten glass. This being true, the oxide that yields the most viscous glass at its melting point may be expected to be worn away the more slowly of the two. We have found that in the case of natural clays plus silica, the same relation holds as for pure silica and pure alumina and thatthe higher the ratio of silica to alumina, the more viscous is the resultin highly SlllClOllS glassesof this character are more slowly miscible in commercial .glasses than are highly aluminous ones, and where used in walls for use against molten glass, may be expected to wear longer than the aluminous ones and not yield strings and ream.

We have discovered that in firing commericial' fire clay refractories to the point where they are largely glass, that the glass and mullite relations in them are substantially the same as if pure silica and pure alumina had been used, except that due to the fluxes glass at its melting point. Hence present, the percentage of glass is slightly larger and the fusion temperatures at given silica alumina ratios are slightly lower. Finally, we have discovered that to resist the dissolving action of commercial glasses, a highly silicious intervening refractory glass is preferable to a highly aluminous one.

a We have discovered that a refractory glass of substantially the eutectic composition, on acount of being non-porous, and because it is so viscous at its melting point, serves as the ideal resistant to. solution bycommercial glasses. As stated above, we have discovered that the intervening layer bet-ween such molten commercial glass and the clay wall is of ageneral feldspar composition, and that the higher the silica content of this intervening layer, relative to its alumina content, the more viscous is the layer, and the more slowly miscible is it in the commercial glass.

In walls for-use against molten commercial glass, the silica resists solution by being present as a glass, while the alumina is frequently present as more or less organized crystals of mullite or corundum. We have discovered that the glass form in which the silica is present is more slowly dissolved by molten commercial glass than are the alumina-containing crystals. 7

Further, on account of the fact that our highly silicious glass is of substantially the same specific gravity as commercial glasses usually made in tanks, it does not tend to run off the clay wall, and remains as a transition layer to protect the latter.

A rough experiment was made to determine approximately the siliciousness of a glass resulting from heating a refractory clay (approximately 45% sio 36% A1.o.;.13.7%

ignition loss) just below its fusion point until approximate equilibrium had apparently been obtained. Microscopic examination of the fired piece indicated that it was approximately one-half mullite, and that the balance was approximately all glass, there being practically no untransformed material present, and the body having approximately zero porosity. The resultant glass had a silica content in the neighborhood of SiO Such a refractory glass serves our purpose quite well. However, we ordinarily prefer to use a raw batch containing a somewhat higher silica content than that of the abovepercentages of several substances other than silica and alumina. forming such silicious refractory glass has the advantage that if any of it crystallizes out of solution, it will usuall be present as mullite, which is not very o jectionable in small quantities.

As stated above, if sufliciently heated, the

mixtures which we use will normally be con- The use of alumina in parts silica. For example, we might use refractoryclay augmented by substantialy pure silica. Refractory cla s as a rule contain a greater percentage 0 materials other than silica and alumina than does commercial silica sand. Hence, in general, the

greater the percentage of free silica, which' is used in the mix, the smaller the percentage of extrinsic or casually-appearing (adventitious) material that is present. Such silica on going into solution during firing will increase the viscosity of the resultlng glass and cause a corresponding increase in the ratio of silica to flux in the glass. I

In case it is desired to have a high silica content in the mix relative to the alumina content, we may employ highly silicious minerals either natural or synthetic, as for instance, pyrophyllite (A1 0 4 SiO H O). In case it is desired to introduce potash into the-mix, micaceous refractory clays or feldspar can be used for this purpose. 4

The silica content put into our mixes'ma be in the nature of quartz, cristobalite, tr1- dymite, chalcedony, crypto-crystalline silica, or of other form, or may be s1lica which has been fused and ground or mixtures of these substances.

In some cases, for the purpose of altering the behavior of the product during its manufacture or while in use, we find it advantageous to add small percentages of other substances. For instance, we are thereby able to increase the with a given si ica-alumina ratio under a given set of conditions.

ercentage of glass present In other cases, where service conditions permit, we may add substances which, while tending to insure a large percentage of glass, will also tend to the formation of tridymite instead ofthe more troublesome cristobalite.

Many of these substances which we prefer to use can be considered as fluxes-in silicaalu mina refractories. Some of the substances which we use in this way are the oxides of barium, born, beryllium, titanium, tin, lead, lithium, potassium, sodium, calci- Refractory bond clay= l um, magnesium, strontium, zinc, manganese, cobalt, nickel and iron, and fluorides and phosphates. These substances are usually used in combined amounts not to exceed 6% of the total mix by weight. In case the content of fluxes other than alumina is relatively high, the alumina content may be even below 5%.

There is probably not as great a tendency for deterioration of ware, through separation out of phases, in the case of those substances which form but one glass with silica,

which glass is miscible in all proportions of the constituents, as there is in case two immiscible or partly miscible glasses occur. According to the Geophysical Laboratory paper No. 630 by J. W. Greig, most of the substances given in the early part of the above list form completely miscible glasses with silica, while most of these in the latter part of the list do not. Because of the fact that certain of these substances form two more or less immiscible glasses with silica, we prefer for certain purposes, to use percentages of such substances not in excess of that which can be contained by the more silicious of the two glasses. This insures the formation of but a single glass instead of the two immiscible glasses.

The presence of alumina decreases the tendency for cristobalite to crystallize out, in glasses which are of high silica content. The presence of potash, boric oxide and zinc are also said to have this effect. I t Of course, the viscosities of the glasses formed between silica and the various other ingredients vary. Other things being equal, we prefer to use such ingredients as will form the most viscous glass with silica. Barium oxide possesses this property to a degree.

Raw ingredients that might be suitably used in our process consist of:

I Percent Plastic clay 40 Silica sand l Fluxes 5 Refractory clay= (clay substance); 10- 30 Silica WTOO 10- 30 Crystalline silica= 15 Silicious clay grog= 1 100 100 Refractory bond clay 10- 30 Crystalline silica 0- 33 Silicious glass 0- 90 Silicious clay grog 0- v 90 or in case fluxes are used the above-named fluxes may be used with the above bodies in combined amounts-not to exceed 6% of the total, and perhaps aslow as 2.5% of the total.

Since it is silicious refractory glass that offers the resistance of the refractory to solution, by molten slags' and glass, we form a substantial quantity of it in the. refractory. This end can be accomplished in any one of several ways. (1) By one method, a suitable mixture is made up in brick form and sintered to a point at which a suitable portion of the mass has been converted to glass. (2) Another method consists of forming a glass of a desired composition or a grog that is largely glass, grinding such glass or glassy grog to suitable size, mixing it with suitable materials and thereafter molding and firing to a suitable temperature. (3) As mentioned in our said application, a third method consists of melting suitable materials, and,

while viscous or fluid, forming or casting them into desired shapes, as by being flowed into molds, run through rolls, or otherwise shaped similar to the manner in which iron is shaped.

Concerning method 3, the softening and molding of such materials as our refractory,

requires such a high heat and at this heat the silica ,is so volatile and in general the difliculties of operating at these high temperatures are so great, that at best this is a very expensive method of manufacturing refractory wares. Concerning method 1, this method has the advantage of cheapness, in that the materials entering the product are not previously specially processed, and the product requires but one firlng.

However, if the percentage of silica in such wareis very low, wares made by this method are not so stable against deformation upon firing, as are wares made according to method 2. On the other hand, if the percentage of silica is too high, this. high silica content is apt to cause. the ware to crack up during firing, and if the ware does not crack up, its I porosity tends to be unduly high unless the ware is burned exceptionally hard.

Concerning method 2 it has the objection that we must previously prepare the silicious glassy grog, which adds to the expense. However, this method has the advantage that practically any desired percentage of silica can be introduced into the body without difliculty. A combination of methods 1 and 2, has the advantagethat suitable percentages of crystalline silica can be introduced on account of its cheapness, and additional desired silica contents can be obtained by introduction of highly silicious glass, or glassy grog. According to method 1, we prefer to use a In su h a deflocculated composition, we may suitab y use approximately 20% deflocculat-.

able clay, 15% to 33% silica (in the form of quartz or'otherwise), the balance being the batch consisting of refractory plastic clay,

silicious grog. Such silicious grog may on account .of cheapness have a large percent-' age of its silica content still in the form of crystalline silica. On firing this body, it is sintered to the point where the crystalline silica content including the silica added as such, the silica in the plastic clay, and the crystalline silica still remaining in the silicious grog are transformed largely to glass, although as stated above, there may suitably be remnants of crystalline silica at the centers of the reaction rims formed from solution of silica particles.

It is commonly known that on transformation of quartz into other crystalline forms of silica during firing offire clay bodies containing it, such transformation tends to maintain a high porosity in the fired ware. Further, it is commonly knownthat non-porous silica alumina wares are relatively good conductors of heat, while highly porous silica alumina wares are relatively goo 'heat insulators. Hence, although by methods 1 and 2, we usually prefer to fire thematerial to the point where substantially all the crystalline silica has been converted into glass and the ware has been burned to a low porosity,

we may stop the firing while the ware is still quite porous, and-thus, obtain a product, which, because of its, high silica content is resistant to the dissolving action of molten commercial glass and, because of its porosity, has value asra heat insulator.

In those instances wherein it is desired to reduce or revent the formation of crystalline silica y devitrification during cooling, the refractory body, while at high temperature will be quenched with water or air. If highly silicious compositions such as those herein referred to are quenched, devitrification does not occur and hence crystalline silica is at a minimum in the cooled ware.

As per method 2, we have described our highly silicious alumina-containing lass as being crushed and bound together wit plastic clayand fired. However, such highly silicious grog may be bonded by any other suitablematerial, before being fired, as for instance by use of silicate of soda, organic matter, or other binders.

Although our method has been described particularly as applying to tank blocks, it

- applies equally well to all other walls for use against molten glass, as for instance, glassmelting pots, needle valves, and in general, all parts used againstmoltenglass that must stand temperature fluctuations. Further than this, our highly silicious glass composition may suitably be used in other articles that have to stand thermal shock, as for instance, spark plugs, chemical laboratory ware, kitchen utensils, etc., and it may suitably replace quartzglass Wares in that they devitrify readily when used at high temperatures'while our silicious glass is very slowto devitrify, and can be used for long periods of time without deterioration.

Thus, by firing our highly silicious product to the point where much of the silica has united with the clay, to form a glass, while our product is still highly cellular (porous), we make a good heat insulator that will resist commercial furnac e temperatures and sustain loads at such temperatures. Such insulating material differs from previous silica-alumina insulating material in that because of its high silica content, and the high temperatures to which-it is fired, it is rigid at temperatures at which previous wares or this purpose lose their insulating value by burning dense.

Tank blocks made by our process have such low thermal expansions and are so elastic that the surface of the block can be fused as by means of an oxyacetylene blow pipe and prefer to actually fuse the surface of such tank blocks either before or after they are set in place in the tank. Likewise, where advantageous, it is possible to fuse the adjoiningedges of adjoining blocks together when in place in tanks, or we can fuse our highly silicious glassy grog into a cavity in a block, and for this purpose we may use our material either as grog or made into a plastic mass, using such binder as may be necessary, as for example a small amount of refractory plastic clay. This fusing of the edges of blocks together is particularly advantageous for use in the case of very fluid glasses, such as some of the boro-silicate glasses.

This new material which we have produced has many uses, and on account of its unique properties, its use is particularly advantageous in many cases. As indicated by the composition of our highly silicious alumina containing glass, substantially that of the silica-alumina eutectic 95% SiO 5% A1 0 its thermal expansion is but slightly larger, and its elasticity is substantially the same as that of vitreous silica, with the result that its resistance to thermal shock is substantially as good as is that of vitreous silica. Hence its resistance to thermal shock is far superior to that of other refractory materials. Further than this it surpasses vitreous silica in thatjt does not devitrify even under longservice at furnace temperagpres, while vitreous silica devitrifies rap 1 y. s

Where used as refractories, our product can be heated very rapidly without injury. Thus glass melting tanks built of it can be brought up to melting temperature much more rapidly and safely than can be done with tank blocks heretofore in use. This saving of time makes a substantial saving in the cost of operating glass melting tanks and permits their being let out and again started still not spall. Hence, for certain service, we

tofore in use crack so badlyon being cooled.

that the further life of the tank is greatly shortened.

It is an accepted fact that glass tank blocks show the greatest wear at thejoints. It is,

' therefore, highly desirable to prevent glass tank blocks from cracking on the inside surface, as each crack is equivalent to another joint, and cracks in an otherwise good block result in rapid deterioration. We have found that a block with a low coefiicient of expansion, will not'crack on the hot, inside sur- Another instance of such use is clay parts for glass feeder machines. Such parts as needle valves and gate blocks have heretofore --'required careful heating before being put into service, whereas such parts made of our material can be placed in position in the furnace without any pre-heating.

While ordinary fire clay refractories when used above the flux line in glass melting furnaces drip so badly as to spoil the glass, We

have discovered that our refractories made largely of our highly silicious glass form at fsurfaces exposed to furnace gases, a glass that 40 is so viscous that it does not drip.

Our material is also u seful as a refractory cement for furnace patching purposes in that hot patches can be made of it without having them crumble due to thermal expansion. Thus although crystalline and vitreous silica cannot be bonded, for use at high temperatures by a small percentage of binder such assodium silicate on account of the crystal changes they undergo in service, our material binds into a firm satisfactory mass in service. 'Likewise our material may be used for finishing or repairing the interiors of furnaces by being troweled, orsprayed onto the parts to be protected. In general, our material is useful where the part must stand sudden changes of temperature, as for,instance in stove backs, gas stoves, electric irons, etc.

Spark plugs etc. have been made which a 7' contain large percentages of mullite. On account of the thermal expansion of mullite such wares only stand thermal shock moderately well. Whereas our material, on account of its extremely low thermal expansion and high elasticity is particularly suitable for this purpose.

' silica.

of its resistance to thermal shock and its permanence, is particularly useful in the form ofkitchen and table ware and chemical ware.

We claim as our invention 4 1. The method of making refractorie which consists of mixing silicaalumina mate rials, molding and firing to the point where the mass contains at least 40% glass, the fired product containing not less than a total of 70% silica, nor more than a total of 6% of fluxes other than alumina.

2. The method of making refractories Further than this, our material on account which consists of mixing silica-alumina grog, containing not less than 70% silica nor more than 6% of fluxesother than alumina and which has been fired to the point at which it contains at least 40% glass, with other silica-alumina materials, molding and again firing, the final product containing not less than a total of 70% silica.

3. The method of making refractories which consists of mixing silica-alumina containing not less than 70% silica, nor-more than 6% of fiuxes other than alumina and which has been fired to the point at which it contains at least 40% glass, with other silicaalumina materials, molding and again firing to the point where the mass contains atleast 40% glass, the final product containing not less than a total of 70% silica.

4. The method of making refractories which consists of mixing silica-alumina grog, containing not less than 70% silica, nor more than 6% of fluxes other than alumina and which has been fired to the point at which it contains at least 40% of glass, with plastic clay, molding and again firing to the point at which the mass contains at least 40% glass, the final product containing not less than 70% silica.

I 5. The method of making ceramic wares which consists of mixing silica-alumina grog, containing not less than 70% silica nor more than 6% of fluxes other than alumina and which has been fired to the point at which it contains at least 40% of glass, with free silica and plastic clay, molding and again firing to the point at which the mass contains at least 40% glass, the final product containing not less than 7 0% silica.

6. The method of making ceramic wares which consists of mixing silica-alumina grog, containing not less than 7 0% silica and which has been fired to the point at which it contains at least 40% of glass, with free silica and deflocculatable plastic clay, and mold ng the mass and again firing to the -poin at Which the mass contains atleast 40% glass, the final product containing notless than 7. The method of making silica-alumina ceramic wares which consists of mixing silicious materials with plastic clay, molding and firing to the pointwhere the mass contains at least 40% glas the final product s containing not less than i0% silica.

8. A silica-alumina ceramic ware whose true specific grav ty is not over 2.5.

9. A refractory s1l1ca-alum1na ware whose true specific gravity is not over 2.5, and which contains not over 6% of fluxes other than alumina.

10. A silica-alumina refractory ware whosebulk specific gravity is not over 2.00 and molten slag and glass which is of substantially the silica-alumina eutectic composition and which isat least 40%. glass.

12. A-silica-alumina refractory body for use against molten slag and glass Whose thermal expansion from room temperature to 1,000 degrees C is not over 0.25%.

13. A silica-alumina ceramic ware containing 40% glass and a total of not less than 70% s lica, and containing fluxes, the chief flux being magnesia.

14. A silica-alumina ceramic ware containing a total of at least 7 0% silica, and in which other ingredients do not exceed 6%, .and

which is at least 40% glass.

15. A silica-alumina refractory ware, con taining a total of at least 70% silica, and in which other ingredients do not exceed 6%, that is substantially all mullite and glass.

16. The method of making insulating refractories that consists of firing silicaalumina wares, containing free quartz, to the point where the quartz has been transformed largely to glass, and in which the high porosity incident to the silicatransformation is retained.

17 The method of making insulating re- 7 fractories that consists of firing silicaalumina wares, containing free quartz, to the point where the quartz has been transformed largely to glass, and in which the high porosity incident to the silica 'transformation is retained, the fired material containing a total of not less than silica.

18. A heat-insulating silica-alumina refractory, containing not less than 40% glass, nor a total of less than 70% of silica, and a total of not over 6% of other ingredients, and which has a porosity of at least 24%.

19. A silica-alumina ceramic ware containing at least 40% glass of substantially the silica-alumina eutectic composition.

20. A slhca-alumlna refractory containing a total of at least 70% silica, in which 7 24. A silica alumina refractory containing .at least 7 0% silica and not over 5% of iron,

cob-alt, and magnesium, which refractory'is at least 40% glass.

25. The step in the art of glass'manufacturing which comprises confining molten glass by a wall consisting largely of a glass 7 having a silica content similar to that of the molten glass.

26. The step in the art of glass manufacturing which comprises confining molten glass by a wall consisting largely of a glass having a silica content similar to that of the molten glass, the glass in the said wall being of higherviscosity than the molten glass.

27. The step in the art of glass manufacturing which comprises confining molten glass by a wall which consists of silica and alumina, contains not over 6% of other ingredients, not less than 70% silica, and not .less than 40% glass.

28. A grog for use in the manufacture of ceramic "warescomprising a silica alumina glass containing at least 70% silica and not over 6% of other ingredients. 7

29. The method of making refractories which consists of mixing silica-alumina grog, containingnot less than 70% silica nor more than 6% of fluxes other than alumina and which has been fired to the point at which it contains at least 40% glass, with other silica-alumina materials, molding and again firing to the point where the mass contains at least 40% glass, and quenching, the final product containing not less than a total of 70% silica.

30. The method of increasing the silica content of refractories without suffering the bad effects due to a large content of crystalline silica, which comprises adding at least a por- 'tion ofthe-silica as a glass that consists largely of silica. 1

31. The method of increasing the silica content of refractories beyond the point where it is practicable to add quartz on account of cracking in making and in use, which consists in adding as at least a portion of the grog, and especially the finely divided portion thereof, silica dissolved in a smallamount of clay.

32. The method of making a highly 's ili-' cious refractory that is resistant to thermal shock, which consists in adding a silica content to a mix in the form of silica fusedwith a small amount of alumina.

33. The method of making a highly silicious refractory that is resistant to thermal shock, which consists in adding a silica content to a mix in the form of silica fused with a small amount of alumina, heating the mixture to the point where substantially all crystallization is gone, and quenching.

34. A wall for use in containing molten commercial glass, which consists of a refractory that is substantially all glass and whose viscosity in use is sufliciently high to prevent distortion.

35. The method of increasing the silica content of refractories beyond the point where it is practicable to add quartz on account of cracking in making and in use, which consists in adding as at least a portion of the grog, and especially the finely divided portion thereof, vitreous silica.

In testimony whereof we, the said DONALD W. Ross and JAMES M. LAMBIE have here-' unto set our hands.

DONALD W.- ROSS. JAMES M. LAMBIE. 

